New speakers in the house, JBL 4770A

[Sam]

Hey all!

Just bought a pair of JBL 4771. JBL describe 4770 (without the 2404H) in the technical manual as a high power two-way full-range systemhttp://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/images/smilies/smile.gif One 4771 speaker: 2 x 2226H + 2445J + 2380A + 2 x 2404H in each speaker. Very low WAFhttp://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/images/smilies/frown.gif But I´m a bachelor so who careshttp://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
I´m very happy with them! They are for keeps.
Last manurfactured 3/3/1996. Think mine are from 1992. They seem too be rather common in Denmark were i found mine.

Earlier I have 4430 and I really like 4770 better. Better top with 2445 and good slam with double 2226. Just one problem, need a larger room.

Anyone else who have them?

[JBLnsince1959]

Congrads on the new speakers. :applaud:

I'm sure you love them

:D

[clmrt]

Pics?

[matsj]

Man får gratulera


mats

[Sam]

Here is a pic on JBL 4770A, not mine but the same, except these don´t have 2404 on top. Wheels is useful if you want to move them around!

Matsj, have you found any horns you are satisfied with yet? Don´t you think the 2382 you have is good enough? I would love to hear and feel the low end of your four 2245 sometimehttp://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/images/smilies/wink.gif

/Anders



http://www.concerttrade.com/images/ct/items/20040521130532.JPG

[clmrt]

:blink:

[Titanium Dome]

OOOmph! to go.

Congratulations.

[matsj]

Hello anders

2382a works pretty good but i think a tractrix horn will be better.
You are welcome later when i`m finished, so can you hear ( FEEL ) 4x2245h subs :D . What do you have to power this speaker with ?

I will build 2 speakers with 2382a+2445j + 2226 for surround to my cinema so i think i will buy some tractrix horn for my front and center speakers.

regards mats

[Sam]

I use a DBX Driverack and then a JBL/Urei 6260 for the 2445 and a Crown Macro Reference for the 2226. In the future (when I found a house) I will use the driverack to my center and a JBL dsc260 to the fronts. My center: 2234H+2446H+2382A. I plan to buy a Crown K2 to drive my SUB1500. I will import it from the US, much cheaper.

Matsj,that´s some serious surrounds you gonna build!

[matsj]

Hello i also plan to import some crown k2 maybe i can found someone used to get them cheaper. Maybe someone on this forum have k2 for sale ? A friend of mine have a container i pensylvania going to sweden in october.

Your center is nearly same as mine 2x2226h + 2446h + 2382a :D nice.

mats

[spkrman57]

"Your center is nearly same as mine 2x2226h + 2446h + 2382a http://audioheritage.csdco.com/vbulletin/images/smilies/biggrin.gif nice."


I am looking at 2 X 2226J in 4648 enclosure topped off with Great Plains 399(similiar to Altec 288-8K) on a 500hz Round tractix Edgarhorn crossed over at 800hz. I have not decided on the final crossover design quite yet.

I don't want to go active yet as the only x-over I have is the Rane AC-22, I hate to mix (solid state) with my all tube system. One of these days I will see about building a tube x-over!

Ron

[OGHinz]

Hi,
i own four JBL 4771. Bought them emty last year. Some components are not original but more up to date i think.
2 x JBL 2226H Low
1 x JBL 2385A Horn (60x40) replaces JBL 2380A (90x40)
1 x BMS 4590P replaces JBL 2445J and two 2405H
new front with foam

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/1059/jbl4771001rs9.th.jpg (http://img212.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jbl4771001rs9.jpg)
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/3802/spjblgx6.th.jpg (http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=spjblgx6.jpg)
http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/8342/jbl4771hornsq0.th.jpg (http://img45.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jbl4771hornsq0.jpg)
http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/6778/jbl4771anschlussplatteby9.th.jpg (http://img45.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jbl4771anschlussplatteby9.jpg)

[alexkerhead]

Wouldn't want to be ya'lls neighbor..lol

Have to replace windows all the time.

[Titanium Dome]

Nice looking units. :yes:

Are those your speaker moving gloves? ;)

[OGHinz]

Yes :D
The JBL 2226H and BMS Horn are crossed at 600 Hz by DBX 234. I want to replace it by BSS 366 or DBX 260. The handling is really terrible because there are only two handles.

[Sam]

Looks great! I also think I should try 2405 instead of 2404. Do you get the eq compensation for the 2385 horn right? Do you have any subbs for the very low end?

/Anders

[OGHinz]

Without a good digital speaker management i dont want to search the right compensation for the 2385 horn. i´m trying to get a pair of the JBL 4788 subs for low end. at the moment i use some custom 2x18 BR subs from a friend of me. they are fittet with 18sound 18LW1400.

[OGHinz]

Hi Sam,

can you post some images of your JBL 4771?

[vladimir4]

Hello,

This is my first post on this forum.

For few years I'm happy owner of 4311 (alnico version) which I use to listen mainly to Pink Floyd and recently I bought used pair of 4770A - it will be my first restoration project so I'd like to ask some beginner (stupid :) questions. I apologize for my not very good English.

About my 4770A's - they were not expensive but unfortunately they were very abused in their previous life. After the first listening sessions I decided I like them very much. They do not kick you to the stomach on Pink Floyd as the 4311s do, but they are much more sensitive with incredible power reserve and they have a really clean sound. They excel on classical (Berlioz "Fantastic" or Tchaikovsky 1812 are just real :-) I decided to restore them and to use them as my principal HiFi speakers (after a lot of WAF negotiations…).

First examination shown that 2 of 4 2404H have diaphragms damaged (in a complete disintegration) and two others looks OK, but they do not measure the same and they sound also different, so I will start by replacing 4 diaphragms ...

One of 2404H has also one corner broken (there is a magnet, an Al throat piece and the exterior plastic "baby cheeks" horn) - Does anybody know if it is possible to buy just this plastic "baby cheeks" part of the 2404H?

2445Js on their 2380A looks OK, but I'd like to have a look to diaphragms. This is my main problem, I'm not able to pull them off of boxes – this is mainly why I decided to post this message. I can easily remove 10 screws on front which fix the horn to the box but that's all. It is impossible to remove the horn/driver system from the box. Does anybody know how it is fixed? Shall I pull the horn; or shall I make a hole in the back of the box and rather push the 2445s? Any idea would be appreciated.

From the 4 2226HPL only 1 has a problem with the voice-coil touching the magnet, producing scratchy sound, but this only on high excursion (tried with 20Hz producing ~½" excursion of the cone) I will never rich this level during normal listening. Are they any way to repair this? In case I decide to recone it, shall I recone 2 speakers at the same time (one on the L and one on the R side)?

Thank you in advance for any help,

Vladimir

[jcrobso]

The 4732 only had one 2404.
The horn will be kind of "stuck" because of the gasket, remove the top 2226 so you can apply pressure from the back and CAREFULLY work a putty knife under the horn at the front. Once loosened it will come out.

[jerv]

.....remove the top 2226 so you can apply pressure from the back .....

This will not work, as there is a separate chamber in the top of the enclosure for the 2380/2445 and the the 2404's, dividing them from the 2226's.

Remove the tweeters instead, and gently apply pressure from the inside via the 2404's cutouts.

[vladimir4]

Hi guys,

thank you for support, I manage to put one horn with 2445 off passing through the two 2404H holes. I've clean it a bit and I had a look at the diaphragm. To me it looks very nice - any other opinion on it ?

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/3391/simg4727.th.jpg (http://img14.imageshack.us/i/simg4727.jpg/)

I did some basic measures (with horn on, measures ~1 ft from horn) the result looks as follows:

http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/4320/jbl24453sec96000hz32bit.th.jpg (http://img693.imageshack.us/i/jbl24453sec96000hz32bit.jpg/)

http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/4320/jbl24453sec96000hz32bit.th.jpg (http://img717.imageshack.us/i/jbl24453sec96000hz32bit.jpg/)

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/4320/jbl24453sec96000hz32bit.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/i/jbl24453sec96000hz32bit.jpg/)

could it be considered as good enough for the hifi use ? Any other tests I should make on it?
Vlad

[jcrobso]

But, I spent a lot of time with SR4732.:)
They sounded like monitor speakers, as I have said before, would love to get a pair.
The diagrams look good, I really feel that you have a very good set of speakers, now hook them up and ENJOY!:applaud:

[jerv]

I agree - the diaphragms look good. Also check the damping material inside the 2445 - sometimes the black foam has deteriorated and turned into goo. Replace if necessary.

You should also recone the scratchy 2226. If the other 3 is fine, leave them alone. Also check crossover network inside the box (reachable after removing the upper 2226) for damaged (burnt) components. Many of these babies have been stressed hard.

I think that the 4770/71 is certainly good enough for hifi, but a lot depends on setting up the right electronic crossover. What crossover and amps do you use?

[vladimir4]

Hi jerv, thanks for your reply.


I agree - the diaphragms look good. Also check the damping material inside the 2445 - sometimes the black foam has deteriorated and turned into goo. Replace if necessary.


I've checked them and they looks OK, not at all in decomposition or similar ...


You should also recone the scratchy 2226. If the other 3 is fine, leave them alone. Also check crossover network inside the box (reachable after removing the upper 2226) for damaged (burnt) components. Many of these babies have been stressed hard.


Regarding the recone kits, the original JBL part C8R2226 seems to be available as a separate cone and a separate voice coil?!. I've watched few howto about reconing on youtube but on each video the kit they used has the voice coil glued to the cone. Is it more complicated to recone with original JBL parts?


I think that the 4770/71 is certainly good enough for hifi, but a lot depends on setting up the right electronic crossover. What crossover and amps do you use?

4770A I have is the version with the passive crossover.

I'm enjoying them every evening - I'm rediscovering my old records ;-) They sound different but I like them. The best I've found for the moment is to use my Gaincard-clone for 2226s and a small 6V6 push-pull for the top.

I'm really surprised that 2445Js are filtered as 1st order (only the 20uF cap plus some RC||R - the attenuation plus a HF loss compensation) and managed to survive a past 10 year stress ...

JBL do not filter the 2226H's - maybe this is what make them sound a bit "raw" comparing to the other "hifi" speakers I own. I've tried to connect a small coil with 2226Hs and it seems to help a bit.

They cover from 50Hz to 21kHz so I'm searching some good subwoofer to add the 30Hz-50Hz zone. But to find something passive at 100dB/W and not too huge seems very hard/impossible for the moment. Any recommendation?

Vlad.

[jerv]

4770A I have is the version with the passive crossover.
..
I'm really surprised that 2445Js are filtered as 1st order (only the 20uF cap plus some RC||R - the attenuation plus a HF loss compensation) and managed to survive a past 10 year stress ...

JBL do not filter the 2226H's - maybe this is what make them sound a bit "raw" comparing to the other "hifi" speakers I own. I've tried to connect a small coil with 2226Hs and it seems to help a bit.

They cover from 50Hz to 21kHz so I'm searching some good subwoofer to add the 30Hz-50Hz zone. But to find something passive at 100dB/W and not too huge seems very hard/impossible for the moment. Any recommendation?

Vlad.

Greetings, Vlad.

Well - there might be more versions of 4770/4771 than I am aware of. But my 4771A's have a passive network inside, and are intended to be used togehter with an 800 Hz active network.

The passive network provides no filtering for the 2226's. For the 2445/2380 there is a 20 uF capacitor in series and CD compensation (4,7 ohm || 4,7 uF) and 12 ohm shunt resistor for impedance flattening and attenuation. For the 2404's there is a crossover with 1,5 uF in series and 0,6mH in parallell.

In the Neutrik Speakon connector, the 2226's are connected to the 2/2 pins, and the network to the 3/3 pins.

I have had good results with a 2. order 800 Hz L-R electronic filter. This makes the 2226's sound less "raw", and takes some stress from the 2445.

The only subwoofer I can think of that matches the 100dB sensitivity of the 4771's is a system with dual JBL 2242 drivers. Sadly, I have no experience with that driver.

Good luck with your excellent speakers!

Espen

[vladimir4]

Hi Espen,

My 4770A's are exactly as you described yours. First I measured frequency response and it looks rather straight - I suppose it is intended to be used bi-amped but with no crossover? From the JBL Technical Manual there is a "bypass schematics" version (40uF in series with 2445J and 3uF in series with 2404H) and a "Passive Crossover" version - the same as you described. So do you think that both versions are intended to be actively filtered?

I will see then which possibility I've got to filter them before the amplifiers ...

Regarding Sub, I've just discovered "tapped horns", and the version from Volvotreter for 15" looks rather nice :) http://www.volvotreter.de/th.htm

I second your mention about "excellent speakers" regarding those babies :D

Vlad.

[vladimir4]

Hello,
After few days of trial/error I've managed to find a nice sounding passive crossover for my 4770A's. Is it the serial one and very easy:

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/6958/serialcrosover4770a.th.jpg (http://img109.imageshack.us/i/serialcrosover4770a.jpg/)

It really converted the raw sounding PA speaker to a beautiful hifi one. Originally I planned to acquire the dcx2496 and a pair of good amps, but for the moment I'm happy wit the current solution and I'm listening to music :).